Quotes for Entrepreneurs – January 2009

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“Access to information doesn’t make you well-informed any more than a library card makes you well-read.”Bernard Robertson

This seems related to

“Knowledge is of two kinds.
We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information on it.”
Samuel Johnson

“Nexialist: one skilled in the science of joining together in an orderly fashion the knowledge of one field of learning with that of other fields.”

This quote inspired Ted Nelson from an early age. In Chapter 7 there is another version:

“Nexialism is the science of joining together in an orderly fashion the knowledge of one field of learning with that of other fields. It provides techniques for speeding up the process of absorbing knowledge and of using effectively what has been learned.”
A. E. Van Vogt in “The Voyage of the Space Beagle“ [opening quote Chapter 7]

I know successful entrepreneurs exist, but I also know there are only 432 players in the NBA and 435 members of the US House of Representatives.

What are the statistics for tech startups?

— Brad Pierce

My short answer is much better, many markets offer levels of success that allow you to bootstrap your way into them. If you have domain expertise and good work habits I think you odds of success are better than 50% at the 5 year mark, roughly equivalent to your tenure in a Silicon Valley job.